Signal.



PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

T. PAQUETTE.

SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3,1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed August 3, 1904. Serial No. 219,396.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEOPHILE PAQUE'ITE, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at WVebster, in the county of Worcester and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSignals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in signals, and more particularlyto that class of signals known as leak-alarms, the object being toprovide a device of such nature that upon the rise of water or otherfluid above a predetermined height a signal will be given to notifypersons of such fact.

I have shown my device as applied to the catch-basins or drip-pans usedin connection with refrigerators; but it will be obvious that myinvention is not confined solely to this employment, but is capable of awidely-extended use.

My invention consists principally of a com bination, with a suitablesupport, of a signaling device, a float or other suitable mediumoperated by the rising water, means connecting the float and signal toprevent the premature actuation thereof, and a means automaticallyoperating to actuate the signal at the proper moment, the object beingto provide a device ofthis nature which will sound or give an alarm orin any other manner suitably indicate to the housewife ,or other personthe condition of the receptacle to which my device is attached.

To this end my invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, such as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in end elevation,slightly in perspective, of my improved signal. Fig. 2 is a view in sideelevation thereof, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the means for normallyretaining the signal in inoperative position.

In the drawings, A indicates a suitable receptacle, such as a drip-pan,for use with refrigerators, which receptacle is'preferably,

although not necessarily, provided with a beaded rim 1.

The signal proper comprises a base 2 of suitable dimensions, which basemay consist of a wooden block provided with a pair of hangers 3 3, whichare in the form of hooks adapted to lie over and embrace the edge of thepan, as shown. The outer ends of the hangers pass through or are securedin any suitable manner to the base 2 at a pointsome- .what removed fromits inner edge, by means of which construction such inner edge isbrought beneath and intoengagement with the beaded rim 1, whereby tomore firmly retain the device in position and prevent it from tippingunder the weight imposed upon it by the trip-cup hereinafter referredto.

A bell 4 is secured to one end of an extended resilient arm 5, the armbeing provided intermediate its ends with a plurality of coils orspirals 6 to increase the flexibility and resilience of the arm and atthe same time to impart sufficient rigidity and tensile strength theretoto prevent the weight of the bell from bending or flexing the arm tosuch an extent that the bell would rest on the floor or other surface.This arm projects a short distance beyond the base, the opposite end ofthe arm being pivotally connected to the base, as at 7, by means of ascrew-eye or other suitable fastening and extending, preferably,longitudinally of the base. A float-rod 8 is secured to the base,preferably at one end thereof and at a point below the pivotal point ofthe arm, as at 9, the rod being provided near its pivoted end with ashoulder or gooseneck 10, formed therein and adapted to lie over andengage the signal-arm to prevent the premature tripping thereof, ashereinafter set forth. By reason of the gooseneck being located adjacentthe pivotal point of the rod and in view of the length of such rodconsiderable pressure or leverage is brought to bear upon the signal-armto retain it in inoperative position. The free end of the float-rod,which extends into the receptacle, carries a float ll of any suitableconstruction, the float adapted to rest upon the bottom of thereceptacle when the latter is empty and is gradually raised as thereceptacle fills with water until when the water has reached apredetermined level within the pan the gooseneck releases the signal-armand permits the arm to be raised, a crook 12 being formed in the rodadjacent the gooseneck to allow the arm a greater freedom of movement.

In order to effect the operation of the sigwhich is therefor pivotallysupported or hinged in the brackets.

The cup is scoopshaped, its deepest point being located approximately inalinement with and above the pintles 15 15, but having considerable areagradually inclined until the inner free end of the cup, which liesabovethe pan, is reached. The rear wall of the cup slopes upward ab ruptly toa point slightly above the level of the extended inner end 17 thereof,and to this rear end is secured a strap 16, which passes in a looparound the signal-arm 5 at a point between the pivotal point 7 of thearm and the coils 6, the loop being of considerable size. The strapnormally rests upon the base 2 to serve as a support for the cup toprevent it from swinging outwardly.

The operation of my device can be easily gleaned from the foregoing; butbriefly explained it is as follows: The pan or receptacle, having myinvention attached thereto, is placed in position to catch the drippingsor waste from a refrigerator, for instance. The Water is first caught inthe cup, which projects over the receptacle some distance, and as soonas the cup is filled the water runs over the slightly lower inner edge17 thereof into the pan. The weight of the water in the cup is locatedto one side of a line between the pintles 15 15, and thus the cup ispoised off its center of gravity. The weight of the water thereforetends at all times to swing the cup on its hinged supports to empty thewater therefrom into the receptacle; but owing to the strap 16, whichpasses around the signal-arm 5 and rests upon base 2, and on account ofthe lever or float-rod, which holds the signal-arm down, the cup isprevented into the bended portion or crook 12 of the rod with a sharpjerk, whereby the clapper of the bell is oscillated to ring the bell,the

arm 5 vibrating by reason of its own resilience, the length of time thebell rings being maferially increased by the resilience of the coi 6. r

In view of the above it will be at once apparent that I have devised asimple, inexpensive, and thoroughly efficient device for the purposestated without the use of complicated mechanism or clockwork, the devicenot being liable to quickly get out of order;

and it is evident that many changes might be made in the form andarrangement of the several parts described without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do notwish to limit myself tothe exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a suitable receptacle, of an alarm carriedthereby, the alarm comprising a pivotally-supported, signal-carryingarm, a drip-cup connected with the arm intermediate its ends, the cupadapted to catch and normally retain a portion of the commoditysubsequently received in the receptacle, and a restraining membernormally locking the signal-carryingarm against movement.

.2. A leak-alarm comprising asignal, agravity-actuated tripping memberfor operating the signal, the signal normally overbalancing the trippingmember and fluid-actuated means in contact with the signal for normallypreventing its operation.

3. A leak-alarm comprising a suitably-pivoted arm, a signal operatedthereby, a gravityoperated tripping means normally tending to actuatethe arm and afluid-operated restraining member in contact with the armfor normally locking it against movement.

4. The combination with a receptacle, of a pivotally-supportedinherently resilient signal-carrying arm, a gravity-operated trippingmember normally tending to raise the arm, and a fluid-actuatedrestraining member normally engaging the arm at a point separate fromthe point of engagement of the tripping member and arm, to lock the armagainst movement.

5. A leak-alarm comprising a suitably-pivoted arm, a bell located on thearm, a coil formed in the arm intermediate the bell and the pivotalpoint of the arm, a gravity-operated tripping means normally tending toactuate the arm to oscillate the bell, and a fluidactuated restrainingmeans for normally looking the arm against movement.

6. A leak-alarm comprising asignal, a gravity-operated tripping meansnormally tending to actuate the-signal, a suitably-pivoted leverrod, agooseneck or shoulder on the lever-rod, adapted to normally engage andlock the signal against movement and a fluid-operated member carried onthe lever-rod for releasing the shoulder and signal.

7. Aleak-alarm comprising asignal, agravity-operated means normallytending to actuate the signal, a pivotally-mounted lever-rod, a shoulderformed on the rod adjacent its pivotal point, the shoulder normallyadapted to engage and lock the signal against movement andfluid-actuated member carried by the rod for moving the latter torelease the shoulder and signal.

8. A leak-alarm comprising a signal-operating arm, a gravity-operatedmeans normally tending to actuate the signal-arm, a'pivotallymountedrod, a shoulder formed in the rod and normally adapted to engage thesignalarm to prevent its movement, a bent or recessed portion locatedadjacent the shoulder and a fluid-operated member connected with the rodand adapted to move the rod to cause the disengagement of the shoulderand signalarm, the tripping means adapted to move the signal-arm withinthe space inclosed by the recessed portion of the rod.

9. The combination with a suitable dripcatching receptacle, of a baseremovably secured thereto, an arm pivotally secured to the base, asignal actuated by the arm, a gravityoperated tripping means normallytending to actuate the arm, a rod pivotally secured to the base at-apoint beneath the arm, locking means on the rod normally adapted toengage the arm to prevent its movement and afluid-actuated memberconnected to the rod for moving the locking means out of engagement withthe arm. 1

10. The combination with a suitable receptacle having a beaded rim, of abase, hangers secured to the base within its inner edge, the

hangers adapted to embrace the edge of the receptacle, the inner edge ofthe base adapted to take beneath the beaded rim, a signal-actuating arm,means normally tending to operate the signal-arm and fluid-actuatedrestraining means normally adapted to lock the arm against movement.

- 11. The combination with a suitable receptacle, of a base removablysecured thereon, a

signal-arm mounted on the base, brackets vent its movement.

13. The combination with a receptacle, of a suitably-supportedsignal-arm, a signal operated thereby, a scoop-shaped trip-cup, thetrip-cup pivotally mounted to one side of its center of gravity, meansconnecting the tripcup and arm and normally tending to actuate thelatter, and fluid-actuated means normally locking the arm againstmovement.

14. The combination with a catch-basin, of a hinge-supported trip-cupoflset from its center of gravity, the trip-cup adapted to be filledwith liquid, a signal-operating arm, means connecting the trip-cup andarm and a fluidoperated restraining member normally looking the armagainst movement.

15. The combination with a catch-basin, of

a pivotally-supported trip-cup offset from its center of gravity, thetrip-cup projecting over the catch-basin and adapted to catch and retaina portion of the liquid designed to be re ceived by the catch-basin, asignal-operating arm, means connecting the trip-cup and arm, andfluid-actuated restraining means normally engaging the arm to preventits movement.

16. A leak-alarm comprising a gravity-operated tripping member, adaptedto be filled with a dischargeable commodity, a signal-arm with which themember is connected, a signal carried by the arm and of greater weightthan the tripping member when the latter is empty, and a fluid-actuatedrestraining member for normally preventing the operation of thesignal-arm.

17 The combination with a fluid-receiving receptacle, of'apivotally-supported drip-cup adapted to primarily receive the fluid andsubsequently discharge it into the receptacle, a signal, which thedrip-cup normally tends to operate, and an automatically-operated membernormally locking the signal against premature actuation.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEOPHILE PAQUETTE.

Witnesses:

ARCHER R. GREELEY, FRANK W. OATLEY.

